Loose-leaf binder.



H. HELLWEG.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 15, 1911.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

COLUMBIA vLANuGR/PH C0.. WMMINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY HELLWEG, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY IInLLwnG, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, haveinvented a Loose-Leaf Binder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to loose-leaf binders, and has for its object toprovide a siniple, cheap and effective means for clamping one of theback-bars of a binder in any desired position.

The invention has special application to those forms of binders havingsectional posts, and when so used, has for a further obj ect to providea form of back-bar, which avoids the necessity of having the ends of thepost project beyond the bar.

According to my invention, I provide upon the face of an ordinaryback-bar sliding upon the post of the binder, a clampingmember in theform of al bar, having an aperture at one end passing over one of saidposts, and an internally threaded aperture at the other end passing overthe other post, together' with a manipulating-member having an aperturefitting over said secondpost and turning thereon, as on a pivot, and anexternal screw-thread eccentric with the aperture and engaging thescrew-thread on said first-named member; the effect of turning saidmanipulating-member being to force the two posts apart through adistance slight but sufficient to cause them to engage frictionally theedges of the apertures in the back-bar through which they pass.

In a more elaborate form of the device for sectional-posts, I mayprovide a boxshaped back-bar adapted to hold and contain the projectingends of the post, whereby the latter are prevented from projecting in aninconvenient and unsightly manner, as is customary according to presentconstructions.

To enable my invention to be fully understood, I have illustrated thesame in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side-view ofthe met-al-port-ions of a binder-back constructed in accordance with myinvention, any cloth or paper filling or covering being omitted; Fig. 2is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the upper portion of thesame, taken in the plane of the post-axes, and fragments of the postsbeing shown in elevation; Fig. 3 is a plan-view of the same; Fig.

4 is a plane-section taken in the plane of the upper surface of theclamping-bar; Figs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led May 15, 1911.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

Serial No. 627,155.

5, 6 and 7 show an alternative form of the invention, Fig. 5 being avertical transverse section taken on the plane 5, Fig. 6 a longitudinalsection in the plane G, and Fig. 7 a fragmentary plan-view 'of theright-hand end; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the eccentric-membershown in Figs. 1 to 4.

The reference letters refer each to the same part in each figure of thedrawings.

In the simpler form shown in Figs. l to 4l, the two back-plates aredesignated by the letters A. and I3, and the two posts C being mountedupon the lower plate A and sliding through apertures 2) in the plate B.Upon the latter lies the clamping-bar D, which is loose upon theback-plate and may be held in position by the head of a screw E mountedas shown upon the plate, and the aperture d in the bar D through whichthe screw E passes being made somewhat larger than the shank of saidscrew as shown, so as to permit a slight movement of the clamping-bar.At one end, the lefthand end in the drawing, the bar D has an aperture(Z2 through which the left-hand post C passes, and at the other end ithas a threaded aperture d in which engages the thread f of aneccentric-piece F, said eccentric-piece being perforated with a centralaperture f2, through which the other post C passes; the eccentric-piecebeing thus, in effect, journaled upon said post. A manipulating-handle fis conveniently provided upon t-he piece F for throwing it into clampingand releasing positions.

Now it will be observed that the screwthread f is slightly eccentricwith respect to the central aperture f2 as shown clearly, and alsosomewhat exaggerated in Fig. 8; whereby the angular movement of theeccentric-piece varies the distance between the two holes (Z2 and f2,and thereby throws them into or out of register with the two holes Inonly one angular position of the eccentric-piece F do the holes (Z2 andf2 register with the holes b', so as torelease the posts; in shiftingthe eccentric-piece, as indicated by the dotted and full-line positionsin Fig. 3, the holes Z2 and f2 are moved closer together or fartherapart, thereby jamming the two posts C between the holes o', d and f2 asclearly indicated by the' open spaces in Fig. 2, in which the clampedposition of the post is shown. The eccentricpiece F cannot of course berotated through an entire revolution so long as the' clampingplateremains upon the post, and therefore the eccentric-piece cannot. becomeaccidentally detached; but it is unscrewed by removing theclamping-plate from the post.

The other form of device shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 is especially adaptedto sectional posts. The two posts C are supposed to be composed ofshort-sections c united end to end by any of the well-known means ordevices common to the art. In place of the sliding back-plate B, I use abackeplate B which is in the form of a closed box of rectangular sectionas shown; this box is deep enough so that the ends of the sect-ions c atno time project therefrom. As before, the back-plate B is provided withapertures through which the posts pass, said apertures being in thiscase double, and the lower ones being designated b2 and the upper onesb3. A clampingbar D is used which is in all respects similar to theclamping-bar D, except that the aperture d and the screw E are omittedin this case; said clamping-bar is held in position by a pair ofspacing-sleeves G. The eccentric-piece F is in this case in tubular formhaving a central aperture f4 through which the post passes and aneccentric-thread f5 on its lower end engaging the internal thread on thebar D', and instead of the handle f3 the eccentric-piece has a flange fon the upper face of the bar B, said fiange being perforated withapertures f7, whereby it may be turned by the application of thepin-wrench H; this is merely one of many similar means of rotating thepiece F.

It will be apparent that should the top of the end-sections c projectbeyond the upper face of the plate B, said sections can be unscrewed andremoved as is necessary, because in this case the clamping will beperformed against the next lower section, so that the objectionableprojecting ends of the posts are avoided.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to the use of allthe above described features and constructions, for some may be omittedand others may be varied or modified in various ways, as will readilyoccur to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

member mounted upon said sliding-bar and having an aperture at one endthrough which one of said posts passes andy an internally screw-threadedaperture at the other end through which the other post passes, and amanipulating-member having an aperture through which the second postpasses and an external screwsthread engaging said internal thread andcutupon said manipulatingmember eccentric to the aperture therein,whereby the rotational movement of said manipulating-member causes alongitudinal relative movement of the respective apertures in the twomembers.

3. In a loose-leaf binder, in combination with a pair of clamping-barsand a pair of posts, one of said bars having a pair of apertures throughwhich said posts pass whereby the bar slides upon the posts, aclampingmember mounted upon said sliding-bar and having an aperture atone end through which one of said posts passes and a screwthread at theother end, a manipulating'- member having an aperture through which thesecond post passes, and a complementary screw-thread engaging saidfirst-named thread and eccentric to the aperture in saidinanipulating-member. whereby the rotational movement of saidmanipulating-member causes a longitudinal relative movement of therespective apertures in the two members; and means holding saidclampingmember fast to said sliding clamping-bar but permitting alongitudinal sliding-movement thereof with respect thereto.

4.' In a loose-leaf binder, in combination with a pair of clamping-barsand a pair of posts, one of said bars having a pair of apertures throughwhich said posts pass whereby the bar slides upon the posts, aclamping-member mounted upon said sliding-bar and having an aperture atone end throughY which one of said posts passes and an internallyscrew-threaded aperture at the other end through which the other postpasses, a manipulating-member having an.

Vaperture through which the second post passes, andanexternalscrew-thread engaging said internal thread and cut upon saidmanipulating-member eccentric to the aperture therein, whereby therotational movement of said manipulating-member causes a longitudinalrelative movement of the respective apertures in the two members; and

means holding said clamping-member fast to said sliding clamping-bar butpermitting a longitudinal sliding movement thereot` with respectthereto.

5. In a loose-leaf binder, in combination with a pair of clamping-barsand a pair of posts, one of said bars having a pair of apertures throughwhich said posts pass whereby the bar slides upon the posts, aclamping-member mounted upon said slid ing-bar and having an aperture atone end through which one of said posts passes and an internallyscrew-threaded aperture at the other end thro-ugh which the other postpasses, a manipulating-member having an aperture through which thesecond post passes and an external screw-thread engaging said internalthread and cut upon said manipulating-member eccentric to the aperturetherein, whereby the rotational movement of said manipulating-membercauses a longitudinal relative movement of the respective apertures inthe two members, said clamping-member having a third aperture therein,and a screw having a diameter smaller than said aperture and a headlarger than said aperture, said screw passing through said aperture andbeing mounted upon the sliding clamping-bar.

(3. In combination with a pair o'l sectional pests, a box-shapedback-bar having a pair of transverse apertures through which said postsare adapted to pass, a longitudinal bar-shaped clamping-member lyingwithin the back-bar and having a pair of apertures, one of which titsover one of said posts, and the other over the other post, thelast-named aperture being internally threaded, and a secondclamping-member in the -t'orm et' a sleeve fitting over and turning onthe seeond post and having an external thread engaging the internalthread of said lirstnamed clamping-member and being eccentric withrespect to the post on which it turns, said second-member being disposedwithin said bacl bar and having means exterior to said back-bar forrotating it.

7. In combination with a pair of sectional posts, a box-shaped back-barhaving a pair of transverse apertures through which said posts areadapted to pass, a longitudinal bar-shaped clamping-member lying withinthe back-bar and having a pair ot' apertures, one of which fits over oneof said posts, and the other over the other post, the last-namedaperture being internally threaded, and a second clamping-member in theform of a sleeve fitting over and turning on the second post and havingan external thread cngaging the internal thread of said firstnamedclampinganenlber and being eccentric with respect to the post on whichit turns, said second-member being disposed within said back-bar andhaving an enlarged head lying on the outer surface of said back-bar andprovided with means for rotating it.

8. In co-mbination with a pair of sectional posts, a box-shaped back-barhaving a pair of transverse apertures through which said posts areadapted to pass, a longitudinal bar-shaped clamping-member lying withinthe back-bar and having a pair of apertures, one of which fits over oneof said posts, and the other over the other post, the last-namedaperture being internally threaded, a second clamping-member in the termof a sleeve fitting over and turning on the second post and having anexternal thread engaging the internal thread of said first-namedclamping-member and being eccentric with respect to the post on which itturns, said second-member being disposed within said back-bar and havingan enlarged head lying on the outer surface of said back-bar andprovided with means for rotating it; and a pair of independent sleevessurrounding said posts within said back-bar and abutting against therespective ends of said firstnamed member, whereby the latter' is heldpressed against the inner lower Yface of said back-bar.

In witness whereo'tI I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY HELLVEG.

Vitnesses:

FLORENCE M. MALLON, Mrs. HENRY F. SCHESMIT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

